4 min readNew DelhiOct 22, 2025 07:41 PM IST
First published on: Oct 22, 2025 at 05:27 PM IST
The birth of the state of Israel on May 14, 1948, is often understood as the culmination of a political movement that had emerged in the late 19th century. Zionism, as the movement was called, sought to establish a Jewish homeland that would be openly recognised and legally secure. Interestingly, the birth of modern Zionism did not get the support of most Jews across the world at the time. There were practical challenges associated with the concept, apart from the fact that many Jews were uncomfortable with the idea of prioritising Judaism over other forms of cultural identity.
Zionism was one among several other movements among the Jewish community in the 19th and 20th centuries. The reason it survived and went on to be the defining ideology behind the state of Israel is due to the backing it received from several powerful countries in the West.
Here are three key aspects of the Zionist movement:
Not all Jews supported Zionism
The word ‘Zionism’ is rooted in Zion, which is a hill in Jerusalem. While Zion is most sacred to Jewish theology, it has deep historical and spiritual resonance in both Christianity and Islam. Zionism evolved in the form of a modern political philosophy in the late 19th century to argue that Jews needed a homeland of their own. This was in response to widespread antisemitism in Europe, especially in Eastern Europe, where pogroms were common.
However, it is important to note that not all Jews favoured the Zionist idea. The Jews in Western Europe, for instance, were by the 19th century, integrated into their national identities and were opposed to the idea of a separate state.
The idea was more popular among Eastern European Jews who were facing large-scale persecution at home and were therefore more receptive to the Zionist belief. They saw Jewish nationalism as the answer to their problems, even though the precise nature of it differed. While some advocated cultural and regional autonomy, there were others who argued for diaspora nationalism. But the most important kind of nationalism that emerged among Eastern Jews during this period was Zionism.
Critics of Balfour Declaration said it reflected European anti-semitism
The Zionist dream came true in 1917 with the Balfour Declaration issued by the British government. The declaration was issued by British foreign secretary Arthur Balfour during the First World War. It formally declared the making of a Jewish state in Palestine, which was then under the Ottomans. Scholars argue that it was a means to secure Jewish support during the war. Critics also argue that the declaration reflected European antisemitism. It is believed to be an attempt to remove Jews from Europe under the guise of supporting their demand for a homeland.
Ironically, one of the staunchest critics of the Balfour Declaration was Edwin Montagu, the only Jewish member in the British Cabinet. He warned that it would isolate Jews and tie them to their religion rather than their national identities. In a memo written to his fellow Cabinet members in August 1917, Montagu argued that the proposal would be “anti-Semitic in result and will prove a rallying ground for anti-Semites in every country in the world.”
Several Jews critique the idea of Israel as a Jewish state
It is only after the Holocaust and the Second World War that support for Zionism spread across the Jewish diaspora. Even then, pockets of resistance to the idea of a Jewish state continued to remain. Among them are the Neturei Karta, a Jewish sect who were among the first to settle in Jerusalem, and resented the Jews who migrated to Israel from the 1880s. Ever since Israel was established in 1948, they have refused to become Israeli citizens and have been adamant in their refusal to pay taxes or join the army. They are known to be the most outspoken critics of Zionism.
Then there are Israeli historians like Avi Shlaim, who call themselves ‘new historians’. They have been critical of the moral and political consequences of Israel’s creation, especially the fact that it displaced both Jews and Arabs.
The word ‘Zionism’ is rooted in Zion, which is a hill in Jerusalem. 
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